Clash With Brazil a Defining Match for Belgian Generation: Kompany

Belgium were two goals down with half an hour of play left, when they staged a stunning comeback to beat Japan 3-2 in their World Cup round of 16 match. The Eden Hazard-led side, who’ve never reached a World Cup final, will be playing five-time world champions Brazil in the quarter-finals on Friday, 6 July.

Brazil on the other hand reached the last eight after beating Mexico 2-0, courtesy a goal each from Neymar and Firmino.

It is a team with a lot of skilled players, a very good team. Almost all players there play for big teams play in great leagues, young but experienced players. I am sure that, after a victory they had the way they did (against Japan), their trust increases especially when you are two-nil down and then you overcome it and win three-two in a World Cup.

Willian, Brazil Midfielder

“We know what we have to do and we will continue to study their side in order to neutralise their strong points and be aggressive at their weaker points,” he added.

Belgium defender Vincent Kompany on the other hand praised Brazil’s well-balanced team. “What I saw in this World Cup is a Brazil that has quite a constant balance between defending and attacking and they are capable of attacking with many players and defending calmly with most of their players on the back and in my opinion it's the sign of a great team and I think it's the same for us,” said Kompany.

We want to attack, we want to seize the moment. We want be faithful to our way of playing.

Vincent Kompany, Belgium Defender

Friday's World Cup quarter-final against Brazil in Kazan is a defining game for Belgium's talented generation of players but don't call them 'golden', said 32-year-old Kompany.

"The term 'golden generation' is obviously one the players didn't come up with and it's not something we pay too much importance to," he told a news conference at Belgium's training base outside Moscow.

The fact that the game against Brazil is defining for our generation is for sure, though. It’s not like we’ve been failing up to now but there is a level above, which we need to achieve, which can be done by a game like the one we are playing against Brazil.

Vincent Kompany, Belgium Defender

"So, it's a defining game, but not just for us, it's a defining game for Brazil as well."

For years, much has been expected of a crop of players, which Kompany previously captained, including Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Thibault Courtois and Dries Mertens but Belgium have so far not delivered on their promise, going out in the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup and at the European Championships in France two years ago.

Brazil and Belgium last played at the 2002 World Cup, with the former securing a 2-0 win en route to the title.

“We have a physical squad but our game and our DNA at the moment is definitely to play passes between the lines and play passes on the floor quite simply. I'm not gonna give the whole gameplan away but for sure that's what we try to do. As well, to underestimate the physicality of the Brazilian team would be ludicrous because at the back they have strong guys capable to win any kind of challenge against any kind of position,” said Kompany.